About Landmark Cases in Criminal Law

Criminal cases raise difficult normative and legal questions, and are often a consequence of compelling human drama. In this collection, expert authors place leading cases in criminal law in their historical and legal contexts, highlighting their significance both in the past and for the present.

The cases in this volume range from the fifteenth to the twenty-first century. Many of them are well known to modern criminal lawyers and students; others are overlooked landmarks that deserve reconsideration. The essays, often based on extensive and original archival research, range over a wide spectrum of criminal law, covering procedure and doctrine, statute and common law, individual offences and general principles. Together, the essays explore common themes, including the scope of criminal law and criminalisation, the role of the jury, and the causes of change in criminal law.

Reviews

“Overall, this book provides well-crafted explanations for key concepts that developed from cases in the British criminal law system and practiced in Commonwealth countries ... an interesting read and a valuable addition to the reference literature for both academics and practitioners who wish to view from a fresh angle the classic textbook cases that they thought they knew very well.” – Hyo Won Kang, New Journal of European Criminal Law